Last Home
by Shadarii
Summary: Kendermore is in terrible danger! Good thing I was mysteriously sucked into Krynn! I hope I can help....
1. Default Chapter

Dragonlance Humor   
NOTE: I don't mean the Shadarii from "Whisper Of Wings", I mean me. The author. I! Myself!   
And DL isn't mine. I just looove it! Most of these characters are (c) TSR!   
This is... uh... I don't know what time period in the saga this is. I don't think it actually exists. Tika and Caramon are married as are Laurana and Tanis, Caramon still gets along with Raistlin, Flint is dead (sniffle) as is Sturm, and Riverwind and Goldmoon are on the plains. Did I leave anyone out? OH, Kitiara is somewhere else. There. Now read on, if I haven't totally confused you.   


Shadarii sighed as she typed away on the month-old (now considered obsolete) computer. No inspiration was hitting her. Usually, new ideas hit her like lightning to metal. But not today. "Grrr!" Shadarii growled as she erased all she had previously written. "Now, maybe I can..hey!" Air answered her reaching hand as she felt around for the mouse that was not there.   
"I say, hi there!" It was a small voice from the doorway. Shadarii jumped. She whirled to face the owner of the voice.   
"Whaat?", she whispered in wonder. A kender! Here! In her very own doorway, grinning from ear to ear!   
"Hi! I'm Tasslehoff Burrfoot." He reached his little hand out to Shadarii. Now, Shadarii had always hated how no one ever shook hands with Tas, so now she shook it with vigor. "Hi! I'm Shadarii. Uhmm.. if you don't mind me asking... how come you're here?"   
"Raistlin sent me. He trusts me!" The kender puffed his chest out with pride.   
_I'm sure,_ thought Shadarii wryly. "Well, what did he need?"   
"He wanted to see you. C'mon!" Tas beckoned to the girl, who hesitated.   
"Waaaiit. I know Krynn a little. And I know there are more fun things to be than human!" Shadarii said slowly.   
"Wanna be a dragon?" Tas asked, hoping fervently that she did.   
"No... actually.... I want to be a...."   


"Kender! Kender, everywhere I go! Out with ye, thieves!" An angry innkeeper swept the two suprised kender out with a broom, like they were dust.   
"Sorry, Shadarii. Guess I missed our target." Tasslehoff shuffled his feet in the dirt.   
"It's OK but... are they always like that to kender?" Shadarii felt odd saying that. Since becoming a kender, everything felt so free and light, like nothing was worth worrying about, not when the sun was so bright! She bounced the small leather puch at her belt lightly on her hand as they walked on, looking for....for...   
"Tas? Where are we going? Where are we?"   
"Solace!" Tas seemed mildy suprised by the question. _What a worry-wort! I guess just because she _looks_ like a kender doesn't mean she doesn't have that human mind!_ he thought as they turned a corner.   
"Ah-ha! I know this place!" Shadarii said excitedly. It was an immense tree, burned in places but still strong enough to hold the building. The Inn of the Last Home.   
"Tas!" A strong voice yelled. A large man came strolling up to them, a huge smile on his face. "Glad you're back. And this is...wait, can't be!" Caramon looked perplexed. (he usually does) "This isn't the writer?"   
"Yes she is! Caramon, this is Shadarii. She used to be a human but, " here the kender grinned, "She said she would rather be a kender."   
"Oh wonderful! We need another kender!" Caramon said sarcastically, beaming at Shadarii to let her know he was kidding.   
"Pleased to meet you," said Shadarii, feeling like she was in a dream. Wasn't she? (I dunno! I'm the author and I don't know!!!) Oh, OK.   
"Likewise! Well, c'mon in!" Caramon beckoned to her and she followed him up the stairs.   
"Hey, how come this isn't a ladder? These had to have been hard to make!" Shadarii exclaimed, as they wound their way up the huge stairway.   
"Well, this _is_ a bar. How many drunken men would be able to find their way down a ladder?" Caramon explained, as they entered a large, well-lit room. A tall redhead was busily wiping tables.   
"Tika! Meet Shadarii!" Tika waved to the kender and called, "Welcome to Solace! Can I get you a drink?"   
"No thanks! I'm underage." Shadarii shrugged.   
"Under....age?" Tika was confused, but she shook it off. After what Raistlin had said about this girl, she had to be at least a _little_ weird! And certainly, there was no drinking age in Ansalon!   
"Have you heard from Tanis?" Shadarii asked brightly, glad for her knowledge of this world.   
"No, not for a while." Tika looked up, suprised again at this visitor. How did she know about..?   
"Ah. Well I'm sure he and Laurana are enjoying themselves!" Shadarii sat back placed her small hands in her pockets. "Hey!" She pulled out a silver coin, a coaster, half a cracker and a couple inches of string. "Where did this come from?" she wondered aloud.   
"Kender." Tasslehoff smiled. "That happens. See, we're very good at finding things, we kender."   
"Finding? You mean stea--" Caramon started to say, but was interrupted.   
"Don't say that to a kender, friend." Shadarii intoned, tossing him the coin. "You should be more grateful. Lucky I found this! Not many would have returned such a beautiful coin."   
Tas watched her and grinned again. Silly, silly girl. She was becoming more and more kenderlike each minute. Minute. That reminded him. "Hey, isn't Raistlin supposed to be here soon?"   
"Soon now. I wonder what he wants?" Caramon said.   
"Something to do with _her_." Tika nodded to Shadarii.   
"Me? What's wrong?" Shadarii was suddenly worried. Raistlin, though he was her favorite character besides Tas in the book, ran cold chills up her spine now that she was in Krynn. He was so powerful....what if he was displeased? What could she have done to annoy a powerful, fictional mage?   
"Shadaarrrriiiii?" Tas nudged her. "I think he's coming. Better sit up." Even Tasslehoff looked worried. Shadarii began to fear for her life! She was a kender! A _kender!_ Why hadn't she chosen a more powerful thing like the dragon? Or a magess! Yes! A white-robed magess! The white magic could overcome Raistlin's black magic!   
"I should have been a mage." Shadarii whispered. Caramon heard and smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile.   
"Don't worry. He won't do anything to you. I hope." The last two words were quieted as the soft footsteps coming up the stairs got louder. Finally, a huddled shape stood in the doorway. Shadarii gulped. To look at him was nothing. She saw a broken man, a pitiful form coughing up suffering. What could he do to her? But the eyes of her heart saw differently. They saw power, raw power, and raw evil power at that. It was mirrored in his cold eyes, his cold hourglass eyes. They looked up to meet the frightened kender's, and Shadarii felt...   
Totally calm. She even smiled as she watched him make his way to a chair in front of her. He seemed about to speak, but his body became racked with hacking coughs. "Brother...." he whispered through parched lips. Caramon stood and knelt at his brother's side, opening pouches and spilling the contents into his hand. He mixed these with a small cup of water, brought to him by Tika. Giving it to Raistlin, the faithful twin backed away and sat down once more.   
"Now..." Raistlin said after he was recovered, "Now we will see about this... Shadarii." His voice wasn't that cold, it held a certain amount of something Shadarii couldn't identify. "A visitor from another realm. Tell me. Why the change in form?" Raistlin's hourglass eyes held hers.   
"I wanted to be a kender, sir." Shadarii said softly. "Why have you called me?" she felt totally at home, as the others gaped at her and Tasslehoff continued to be a little concerned for her.   
"I mean, how did you know you would become one?"   
"What?" Shadarii blinked, Raistlin was leaning forward in his chair.   
"A kender. How did you know you had to be one? How did you know what I alone was told?" Raistlin's slithery voice was quiet.   
"I just.... I just wanted to be a kender. They are so interesting to me, so playful but so wise. Take Tas. He seems so innocent and childish but then he smashes a dragon orb." Shadarii smiled at Tas, but he looked totally lost. So did everyone else around the table. Everyone except for Raistlin.   
"You know....about....No! No, it's not supposed to happen like this." Raistlin's breath came quickly in alarm.   
"Why? What's wrong? " Shadarii gulped as Raistlin's eyes became fevered and then quietly shifted back to their mirrored forms.   
"Nothing, never mind." Raistlin sighed. "Leave, everyone, leave. She stays. The rest of you...get out. Get _OUT!"_ the floor creaked as the people fled. Tasslehoff stayed behind to wink at Shadarii and then he was gone.   
"Now then." Raistlin layed a hand on Shadarii's, forcing her to jerk in shock. "Now you will hear."   
  


Shadarii's heart beat fast in fear and an old affection for Raistlin that never quite left her. He spoke levelly. "They do not know about the dragon orbs. As far as they know, it never happened."   
"The whole War of the Lance? Then how did Tanis and..and Caramon and Tika... huhh? You've lost me, mage." Shadarii said quickly.   
"Forget about it."   
"Why have you brought me here?" Shadarii let the kender instinct take over - pure fearlessness.   
"You wanted to be here, did you not?"   
"Well....yes...." The kender had never heard of Raistlin doing favors for _anyone_!   
"And you've read the Chronicals." The dark mage's voice was quiet. Shadarii noticed the robes he wore were red.   
"Yes...Raistlin, didn't you take up the blackrobes?"   
"It's irrelevent, kender!" Raistlin snapped irritably. "What's important is the fact that you are here. Here to stay."   
"But...." Shadarii's words were cut off a Raistlin abruptly stood and strode out of the room, his red robe swirling behind him 


	2. Kenderquest

dl2   
Same Disclaimer as before. ^_^ Enjoy!!   


Shadarii was rudely awakened the next morning. "Gaah!" An inquisitive pair of eyes gazed into hers.   
"You make noise when you sleep!" They said.   
"Tas!" Tika appeared in the doorway and the kender giggled and ran off. "Never mind the kender," she said, "How're you feeling this morning?" The redhaired barmaid smiled.   
"Pretty good, actually. This place has some good vibes." Shadarii sat up groggily. "Makes it easy to sleep."   
"Good to hear. Well, when you're ready, come on down. Caramon and I made breakfast." Tika chuckled.   
"Caramon _cooks_? This I gotta see." 

An hour later, everyone was quite full, sitting around a table laden with Ansalon fruit salad, eggs and soup. Shadarii licked her lips. "Good stuff."   
"It really is." Agreed Tas, slipping some fruit into his pouch. Shadarii giggled and pretended not to notice.   
Raistlin sat alone by a window. Every now and then he'd return to the table for some more soup. He never spoke a word. Shadarii looked up once and met his eyes, and the cold she saw in them chilled her.   
They were leaving the table when a noise putside caused everyone but Tas and Raistlin to jump. Tas looked, as usual, curious. Raistlin smiled grimly, and no one knew why.   
BANG! A man dressed in simple travellers' clothes sat down hard on a barstool. He sighed tiredly. "At last!" he said, "Solace." Caramon's face broke into a huge grin.   
"Carthar! Where've you been?" The big man asked the newcomer, pouring him a mug of ale.   
"Ah, Caramon. You never change. Hello, everyone. Well, I've been everywhere, never could stay in one place long, y'know?" Carthar was a small man, with longish red hair and a bright, quick smile. He propped a simple wooden staff against the counter and sipped his ale.   
"Of course. Oh, I don't think you know Shadarii here." Caramon indicated the bright-eyed female kender. Carthar nodded distractedly.   
"Yes, yes. And that reminds me! Have you heard about the events in Kendermore?" He asked.   
"No, tell me!" The wanderer sat foward.   
"Now, usually I don't concern myself with kender. But this really is somethin'! There's a plague or somethin' runnin' around killin' off those kender. Lost about fifty or so just that day when I was passing by. Don't know what it is." Carthar took another sip of his drink. "Personally, I think it's a gift from the gods. Eliminate the kender, give us all a break, huh?" he finished, with not enough sympathy or concern to soothe Tassehoff's growing anger.   
"No!" Tas was standing in front of the wanderer, glowering indignatly at him. "I happen to know Paladine and he wouldn't do any such thing!"   
"Yeah!" Shadarii stood beside her fellow kender, feeling total concern for her form's homeland. No more kender? It was like someone had dropped a rock into her stomach. Horrid! Oh, what would happen to the Dragonlance tales without a kender or two to lighten it up?   
"Give it a rest, kender." Carthar spoke with a cold chill to his voice. "The less kender in this world, the better." He looked at the assembled. "Right?" Everyone shuffled nervously. Raistlin stared out the window and sighed again.   
"Well, I won't stand for this. I've got to go help!" Shadarii planted her small hands on her hips. She turned a sharp 180 on her heel, her long gold hair swinging behind her. She left the room, returning shortly with a small leather bag and a grim frown upon her face.   
"Where're you going?" Tika asked, watching the golden-haired kender storm out the door. Shadarii stuck her head around the corner.   
"Kendermore!" She stopped. "Tas? C'mere for a sec, will you?" Tasslehoff, wary of her rage (but feeling the same amount) cautiously approached her.   
"Y-y-yes?" Fear was rare to the kender, but apprehension was not.   
"Your map collection would be helpful. May I borrow one?"   
"No! I mean, I'm coming with you." Tas firmly intended to come along on whatever adventure was happening.   
"You can't. The plague may kill you too. It won't hurt me. I'm mostly human, so I'm safe. Please, just let me borrow a map!"   
"Uhm...sure. Here..." Tas pulled a battered map out of his deep trouser pocket. "And take good care of it....it's the best one for finding Kendermore."   
"Wait just one second!" Caramon stood. "You can't just flounce out of here like a spoiled child the second you hear something you don't like. You do not know this land.."   
"Yes I do. More than you think, Caramon." Shadarii said, trying to recall any bad things that befalled the heroes in any particular place. There had been one city wiht no sea...and a particularly nasty forest. But she wouldn't be going through there...would she? Let's see...Kendermore is to the east of Solace...   
"Fine. Fine, just go on this mad journey of yours, off to get yourself killed when you were summoned here for some _important_ reason and it won't do if you're dead!"   
"Important? _Important?!?!_ People are _dying_ out there, Caramon! Hero of the Lance indeed." She jumped as Raistlin stood.   
"She goes," he said softly. "Allow me to walk her to the city exit." The frail mage brushed past Shadarii on his way down the stairs. The kender stared after him and sighed.   
"I appreciate your hospitality. Thank you very much." Shadarii smiled at Tika and Caramon. Tasslehoff looked at her.   
"Listen, when you get there...."   
"Yes?"   
"When you get there...You've got to stop it, Shadarii! No one else... no one else would." Tas's voice was small.   
"Why does she have to go? Why can't the kender help themselves?" Tika asked.   
"Yes! If she's a kender, and the kender are dyin', then why is the little fool goin'?" Carthar snorted into his ale.   
"Because.I..." Shadarii had no answer. She frowned. "I just know there's soemthing I can do. There must be. Otherwise, why would I be here?" The kender smiled, waved goodbye, and was out the door.   
"Damned fool, if you ask me...." Carthar growled.   
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Tas yelped in frusteration. He looked out the window at Shadarii and Raistlin, who were on the road far below.   
"Good luck..." He whispered sincerly, somewhat jealous at being left behind when someone was on an adventure. He turned away from the window. Suddenly, the kender smiled.   
Ah _ha!_


End file.
